Multiple compartment condiment dispenser



April 26, 1960 N. R. LYKEs 2,934,242

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT CONDIMENT DISPENSER Filed July 6. 1959 IN VEN TOR 77mm f xg@ nited States Patent() MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT CONDIMENT DISPENSER Norman R. Lykes, near Scottsdale, Ariz.

Application July 6, 1959, Serial No. 825,284

-3 Claims. (Cl. Z22-142.4)

This invention concerns multiple compartment condiment dispensers.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a compact multiple compartment condiment container wherein the various condiments may be shaken out and in this way dispensed without mixing or dispensing the other condiments in other compartments.

Another object is to provide a container body which can be easily molded of plastic and which fits a top portion which also can be easily molded of plastic and which itself contains the channels necessary to the operation of the device.

Still another object is to provide a container, as above described, wherein the condiment being dispensed can be easily seen and distinguished from the condiments in the other compartments.

Still another object is to provide a construction whereby the condiment to be dispensed is deposited in the uppermost compartment and is carried by openings to the lower side of the body of the device for dispensing.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the construction, devices and parts shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of the device with the various compartments and channelways indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the body and the top with the parts arranged so that the compartments and channelways are Visible.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the multiple condiment container drawn on a smaller scale.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

The body 2 of my condiment container is, as shown in the present form, cylindrical and Within the body there is a central core 3 which has three radial partitions 4, 5 and 6 separating the interior into three compartments 7, 8 and 9. These compartments are adapted to contain diiierent condiments, as desired. The lower part of each compartment has a substantially sector shape as shown in the plan view in Figure l but the entire sector shape is not carried through to the top face 10 of the compartments. Instead, substantially rectangular openings 12 are provided for each compartment. These openings are rectangular and are placed adjacent a wall of each compartment, such as the wall indicated by numeral 14 in Figure 2. The far edge 13 of each compartment is parallel to wall 14. Each compartment opening l2 is adjacent and similarly positioned relative to its adjacent wall. flat area 14a positioned counterclockwise from edge 13.

The compartments can be filled through the openings 14 if the top 20 is removably attached to body 2, or through circular openings 15 in the bottom 11 of the compartments of the body 2. In this case the openings 15 are closed by suitable plugs 16.

The top of the body 2 is closed by a circular disk 20.

This leaves al This has the same diameter as that of the container and has a iiat bottom face 21 which tightly fits over the at top face 10 of the body 2. The top face 23 of this disk is flat.

On the lower face 21 ofthe disk there are three grooves 24, 25 and 26. These grooves extend from circular openings 29, 27 and 28.

These recesses are positioned in equal spaced relation around the center of the disk and disposed so that they will register with the openings 14 in the top 10 of the body 2. In this way they communicate with compartments 7, 8 and 9 in the body 2.

Channels 24, 25 and 26 extend from openings 29, 27 and 28 at an angle and in a direction parallel to the next adjacent partition positioned counterclockwise, thus groove 24 is parallel to partition 4 which is next adjacent, counterclockwise to the partition 13 which is also adjacent to the recess 29 from which the groove 24 extends. The channel which is composed of the groove 24 and closed by part of the upper face 10 of body 2, opens outwardly at 30, on the upper part of the periphery of the composite body which includes parts 2 and 20. Each of the several grooves is disposed similarly, and are arranged in equally spaced relation around the center of the disk 20. Therefore, there are three shake out openings 30, 31 and 32 arranged around the upper part of the periphery of the composite body.

Preferably the disk 20 is cemented to the top 10 of body 2. In this case the compartments are lilled through the openings 15 at the bottom of each compartment. Optionally the disk 20 may be removably attached by suitable spring clips to the top of body 2.

In use, the compartments are illed, each with a separate condiment, such as for example, salt, pepper and paprika. The user then grasps the composite body (consisting of the body 2 plus the attached disk 20) and directs the opening of the channelway, which communicates with the compartment containing the condiment desired to the dispensed downward. `The body is held substantially horizontally, but with the opening 30 tilted slightly downward. Thereupon the condiment in the compartment which is the uppermost in body 2 relative to the opening (such as 30) lays on the upper face of wall 14, and falls into recess 29 from compartment 8. This condiment then ows from the recess 29 into channel 24 and outward through opening 30. The flow is free but is somewhat constricted by the various turns and changes in direction from the compartment to the opening. Thus, the channel is sufficiently large not to become stopped up or clogged. On the other hand the condiment does not merely spill out because its flow must change direction from the inside of the condiment compartment to the recess and thence to the channel.

Whereas I have described the use of only one compartment, one recess and one channel it is to be understood that any of the other compartments and channels may be used inthe same manner.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have provided a neat, cylindrical shaped condiment container such as shown in Figure 4 in which there are three compartments, each provided with a separate shakeout channelway and which may be used separately, as desired. If the body of the container 2 is made of transparent or even translucent plastic material the contents may be readily identified. Otherwise the position of the various compartments may be identified with indicia placed on the periphery of the body. In operation it is apparent that the condiments will not mix and that the user may secure the condiment desired merely by the manner in which she picks up and holds the composite body 2 and 20.

I claim:

l. A multiple compartment condiment container consisting of a cylindrical container body having a hollow interior with a central core, partitions extending radially therefrom to the inner walls of the cylinder` providing compartments to contain condiments, bottom closures for said compartments, top closures for said compartments, forming a smooth top surface, openings in said top surface each being adjacent the partition wall face which is lowermost when the container is tilted for shake-out dispensing; a disk shaped cover for said body having a smooth lower face to iit over the top face of said body; the said face of said top having recesses disposed to regis ter with the openings in the top of said body, and grooves formed in the lower face of said top each opening into a recess and extending parallel with the adjacent wall of the next annularly successive compartment partition to the periphery of said cover; said grooves forming shake-out channels for dispensing condiments from the respective compartments into which they open through said recesses.

2. The device, as described in claim 1 wherein the bot- `v4 tom closure of each compartment are provided with filling openings, and with plugs for closing said openings.

3. A multiple compartment condiment container and dispenser consisting of a hollow cylindrical body having partitions extending radially from an axially positioned core to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending annularly arranged compartments, top and bottom closures for said compartments, the bottom closures of each compartment having lling holes provided with removable plugs; the top face of said top closure being smooth and tlat, and provided with openings extending into each of said compartments each opening having one edge aligned with the face of an adjacent partition, a disk shaped top having a smooth flat bottom face covering the top face of said body, annularly arranged recesses in the bottom face of said top, registering with the openings in the top face of said body, and grooves extending from said recesses to the periphery of said top and forming channelways closed on the bottom by the'flat top face of said body.

No references cited. 

